Shadowpelt
by artist-in-the-tardis
Summary: NightClan Challenge Response


This morning, I wake up much earlier then all the other cats. And why shouldn't I? I have places to go.

I quickly groom my pitch-black fur and take careful pawsteps out of the warriors' den. Almost at the entrance, and… "Shadowpelt?"

I freeze, illuminated by moonlight.

"Um, yes?"

Out of the darkness, I see a pair of amber eyes looking at me. I had to wake up Silverbark, the kindest cat in Lightningclan. She stares at me curiously.

"Where are you going?" she asks softly.

"I, er, heard something outside. I'm going to go check it out."

"Be well," I hear her murmur, and go back to sleep. Slipping out of the den, I feel a pang of shame, lying to her. But my secret must be closely guarded…

Padding silently through the trees is, in my opinion, one of the hardest things to do. The whole way, while I wasn't looking out for enemy warriors, I was hopping with nervousness. _Will she be there? Will she forget? Maybe she doesn't love me anymore._

They are the same doubts that come into my mind every night, and every night, they prove to be groundless. She is, and will always be, there for me. I repeat those words in my head as I trot into the bushed clearing that is laced with her scent. I sit in the middle of the clearing and wait, breath baited.

Suddenly, warm blue eyes appear in a bush. I leap forward.

"Lilyflight!" I exclaim. She steps into the clearing and bounds toward me. I reach her first and nuzzle her happily. A cheerful purr escapes my throat. She licks that spot behind my right ear that just sends a tingling feeling through me. I pull back and take in her familiar scent, studying her. She's a beautiful mottled tawny she-cat with big blue eyes that almost glow with warmth. As I look at her, she cocks her head at me.

"Shadowpelt, you look almost sad. What's wrong?"

I squirm under her gaze but finally answer, "Well… I was just thinking how we wouldn't have to sneak out to see each other if we were in the same clans. If I was in Streamclan, or you were in Lightningclan."

She purrs, "Don't think about that tonight. Think about me, about us… about your unborn kits."

I wrap my tail lovingly around her. "You're right."

"As usual," she teases. She must catch me looking at her swollen belly, and she smiles comfortingly.

"Don't worry about that. An old loner friend of mine was a medicine cat and she's been helping me. My Clan mates are too busy to notice, and when they do, I say they're a mystery to me, too. Because that's what they are. A little mystery."

I purr ever so fondly at her and look down at her 'mystery'. I can't believe they're mine.

"Where will they live?" I ask, my voice wavering.

She looks down at the grass. "I don't know."

**THREE MOONS LATER**

I pace nervously in front of the tunnel of brambles that leads to Dawn's, Lilyflight's medicine friend, den. I feel like yowling in excitement, fear, and nervousness. To calm my nerves, I catch a couple nearby mice and bring them quietly inside.

The inside of the den is dusty, with shards of light peeking through the brambles. Herbs are tucked neatly in corners, hung on the walls, and under piles of more herbs. Dawn is trying to calm a heaving Lilyflight. Catching sight of me, she spins around and hisses, "Shadowpelt, shoo! I know your mate is kitting, but that doesn't mean that you have to come in to check on her every other heartbeat!"

As Lilyflight lets out a faint meow, I sidle out of the den and resume pacing. How far away my Clan seems! Although I was there this very morning, it's worlds away. Lilyflight is in there, kitting- the kits will be born soon- no one from the two Clans know- she will live- Lilyflight will live- _she will live_- these turning thoughts spin through my mind, and the world is shades of grey, and I fall to the ground.

Awhile later, I wake up. The world has resumed its normal color, and I can still hear Dawn's soothing voice from the den. But the world is different, newer, fresher, with light scents with a hint of youth- _kit _scents.

I race once again into the den, but now there are kits inside and the herb piles have diminished considerably. Dawn turns to me.

"She kitted, Shadowpelt. Meet your new kits."

She moves out of the way, and at Lilyflight's side are four tiny, squirming, beautiful kits. I lie down right where I am and start crying.

**1 MOON AFTER THAT**

I slip into our clearing. There is Lilyflight, looking a bit tired, but still as beautiful as usual.

"Hello, love," I whisper in her ear. She looks adoringly at me and licks me.

"Where are the kits?" I ask, sitting in front of her.

"Dawn's watching them. The other day, Spottedkit got into one of her herbs and ate half of them. She was so mad…" Lilyflight trails off, smiling at the memory. "You should have been there."

A flare of guilt stabs through my heart.

"I know. I'm sorry," I apologize. She purrs, "It's alright. Do you know what you want to name that last kit yet?"

"Uh… no," I say, than quickly change the subject. "How do you always stay away without your clan noticing?"

She shrugs. "Streamclan has lots of kits, apprentices, and warriors. They don't notice if one warrior is missing."

I smile sadly at her. "If I was in your clan, I would miss you."

She rubs against me, purring.

"How touching," growls a voice from the underbrush. I turn, hackles raised in alarm.

_One moment all I could think about was her, my body pressed against hers. But that changed in an instant when a patrol of my Clan mates burst through the ferns. At the head of the patrol was my Clan leader. There was no getting out of this, I was busted._

_"Hawkstar!" I gasp, stumbling back from he and his patrol._

_His eyes are riveted onto Lilyflight. "Who is this?" he rumbles accusingly._

_I step forward. "She is my mate. This is Lilyflight."_

_"She smells of Streamclan!" snaps Hawkstar._

_Lilyflight steps forward also. "That's because I am Streamclan."_

_Hawkstar advances. "You and her… a Streamclan cat? Shadowpelt. Think. She is the enemy! Kill her now."_

_"No!" I yowl, surprised at my own courage._

_"I love her! I won't harm her."_

_ "Then, I will do it for you," he sneers in a line heavy with dreadful implication. He lunges at Lilyflight with razor claws- and I, shooting out a powerful paw, strike him away. I am amazed at my own strength. He stumbles backward, surprised, as I push Lilyflight behind me. _

_ "Now, who wants another turn?" I growl at my former Clanmates. They all back away, but Hawkstar steps forward._

_ "Shadowpelt, you are exiled from Lightningclan."_

_"I guessed that," I hiss angrily._

_ "And you know that you and Lilyflight can never be together again."_

_ "Why is that?" I ask. "I'm exiled, remember? You hold nothing over us."_

_ "But I do," a deep voice comes from the other side of the clearing. Lilyflight whirls around and gasps. "Wavestar!"_

_ Across from me is the Streamclan leader. He strides into the clearing._

_ "Lilyflight, this is over. You are coming home."_

_ "No!" she snaps at him. "I will never leave Shadowpelt!"_

_ A rush of pride soars through me, but it's quickly extinguished when Wavestar unsheathes his mighty claws. "Come, Lilyflight. You do not belong here. Leave with me, or I will be forced to kill your mate. Come."_

_ She pads up to me. I feel tears pooling in my eyes as I give her one last lick good-bye. She looks at me with big blue eyes. "Take care of our kits," she whispers fondly to me, then turns and disappears with Wavestar into the shadows._

_ I turn to Hawkstar, my shoulders slumped. He purrs triumphantly, "Now, now, we can't have you following her, so…" he gives me a blow to the side of my head and I pass out._

_ I wake in the mossy hollow of Dawn's den. My fur is matted and unkempt, but my head feels better._

_ Dawn draws away and I climb slowly to my paws. "That was quite a hit you got there," she says softly, and all the details of yesterday rush back._

_ "Here are your kits, Shadowpelt," she whispers, and carries them, one by one, over to me._

_ I nod my thanks and gaze at my kits. Spottedkit, Goldkit, Soulkit, and the still-unnamed kit look up at me. I clear my throat and herd them out of the den._

_ I have my own den now. I live alone. I will have no she-cat after Lilyflight. My kits live a happy life, not remembering what tragedy followed the love of their mother and father._

_ I named the last kit Mystery._


End file.
